Robert Turbin Fantasy News

The Seattle Seahawks are willing to pay big money to keep Marshawn Lynch. The question is whether Lynch's health will ultimately determine his NFL future.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Friday's edition of NFL Total Access that Lynch's back issues are chronic and will be a major factor in his decision-making this offseason, according to people close to the star running back. Lynch has compressed cartilage in his back, a condition that will not heal and can get worse as a result of Lynch's punishing running style.

Fantasy Impact:

It seems quite possible that Lynch hangs 'em up this offseason, but we may not know for sure until we get deeper into the summer. The Seahawks have Robert Turbin and Christine Michael under contract in 2015. Michael (career 4.9 YPC) has been considered the heir apparent, but he's been consistently running behind Turbin (4.0 YPC), who's physical style more closely resembles Lynch. The team may be active at the position in free agency and/or the draft, and their actions will give us a better indication of how they feel about Lynch's availability heading into the 2015 season.

Seahawks RB Christine Michael (hamstring, out) did not practice Wednesday. Michael is still running third on the depth chart, so he wasn't expected to make much of a contribution on Thursday night. Robert Turbin is the running back to handcuff for Marshawn Lynch owners.

Seahawks RB Robert Turbin took a turbo-charged step forward. Playing with the first-team offense in the first half, Turbin exploded for 81 yards on 12 carries, highlighted by a 47-yard scamper that might have caused seismic activity, had it been in the regular season.

Fantasy Impact:

Christine Michael, on the other hand, fumbled on his first carry, which is the quickest way off the field in Pete Carroll’s offense. Michael recovered the ball, as he did last week against the Broncos, but two fumbles in two games will not sit well. With Turbin doing the bulk of the rushing, the Seattle offense hummed beautifully in the first half, the story said. The RB2 handcuff to Marshawn Lynch may be a spot to think about covering. With a lot of early hype about Michael, things appear to be trending toward Turbin.

Seahawks RB Robert Turbin is listed as No. 2 on the depth chart for now, but Christine Michael is the more explosive runner and will win this job if he continues to prove he can do the job as a blocker in pass protection.

Fantasy Impact:

Michael is considered by the fantasy community to be Marshawn Lynch's primary backup, but it's not clear if the Seahawks agree.

Seahawks beat writer Tom Pelissero on the team's RB situation: "With starting RB Marshawn Lynch holding out, Robert Turbin took the first rep with the No. 1 offense, followed by Christine Michael. Should Lynch’s holdout stretch into the regular season – and as of now, I find it hard to believe that happens – Michael is the guy to watch. He’s a powerful, explosive athlete. He didn’t know how to be a pro as a rookie, but coaches have raved about his progress in Year 2. Even if Lynch is back, Michael should get a long look as a change of pace and on third downs."

Fantasy Impact:

Michael is still running behind Turbin, but according to Pelissero, that shouldn't last for long. If Lynch's holdout lasts into the season, we would expect that Michael will see a significant role.

It's just the first day with no pads, but Seahawks running backs Christine Michael and Robert Turbin took full advantage of Marshawn Lynch's absence and had several impressive runs. Michael really shows off his speed on outside runs around the edge, usually out running linebackers to the sideline before the defensive back can catch him.

SeahawksMarshawn Lynch told two teammates last year he might retire if Seattle won the Super Bowl. They did. Asked a source, could he walk? “He could.” Lynch has saved his money earned in NFL. His retirement thought is real. “I could see him walking away,” source says.

Fantasy Impact:

Whoa. This is the first that we've heard of a potential retirement, but if it's real, it's just another red flag surrounding Lynch this offseason. He marches to the beat of his own drummer, so anything is possible. Yesterday it was reported that he was unhappy with his contract and may not report to minicamp. Now this. Christine Michael is the obvious beneficiary if Lynch decides to hang 'em up, but Robert Turbin would be in the mix as well.